Spring-fork for wheeled vehicles.



G. R. & H. M. KITTLE. SPRING FORK FOR WHEELED VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED MAY 20. 1912.

1,036,263. Patented Aug. 20, 1912,

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WETED %TATE% FATE CHARLES R. KI'ITLE AND HUBE RT M. KIITLE, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

SPRING-FORK FOR WHEELED VEHICLES.

Application filed May 20, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES R. Krrrnn and HUBERT M. KITTLE, both citizens of the United States residing at the city of Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Spring-Forks for lVheeled Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to the front forks of such vehicles as motor cycles and bicycles.

WVhen the front wheel of the machine passes over an obstruction or into a depression in the roadway, the forward motion of the wheel is somewhat retarded and the wheel must rise to pass over the obstruction or outof the depression.

Our invention is designed to provide a front fork of such construction that the portion thereof in which the wheel is mounted may yield independently of the other portion which carries the forward end of the frame and to provide a spring connection between certain of the parts of the fork that will resist the thrust and also the rebound incid'ent. to passing over an obstruction, thereby reducing the jar upon the rider to the minimum. We accomplish these objects by the fork described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof. in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a front fork embodying our invention, wit-h a portion of the wheel shown. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan of the parts shown in Fig. 1, with parts broken away for clearness of illustration.

In the drawings 5 is the front fork of a motor cycle or bicycle of any approved make. The lower ends of the legs of the front fork are pivotally connected to the outer ends of rocking levers 6, which are preferably Y-shaped. The front wheel 7 is mounted in the lower arms of these levers which are provided with holes 8 to adjust the position of the wheel. Pitman rods 9 are pivotally connected to the upper arms of these rocking levers, which are provided with holes 10 to adjust the position of the rods. The upper ends of the pitman rods are pivotally connected to and mounted upon the head of an adjusting bolt 12, which is preferably T-shaped. A hinge 13 is also pivotally mounted on the head of bolt 12. The ends of the head of the bolt Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 698,645.

are preferably reduced and screw threaded and nuts 14 hold the hinge and pitman rods mounted thereon. The body of bolt 12 is screw threaded and is screwed into a barrel 15 in which reciprocates a piston 16 having a stem 17, which stem projects through the other end of the barrel which is closed to a working fit around the stem. A look nut 23 holds the barrel in its adjusted position. Stem 17 is pivotally mounted in bearing 18 secured to fork 5 above its furcations and below the front end of frame 19. A spring 20 is coiled" around stem 17 between the piston and end of the barrel. Hinge 13 preferably consists of two bars the other ends of which are pivotally connected to brace bars 21 by a bolt 22 and with bolt 12, barrel 15, piston 16, stem 17 and spring 20 form a resilient connection between fork 5 and brace bars 21.

By this construction it will be observed that spring 20 acts in one direction to sustain the normal weight of the frame and rider and to take off the ar from the rider when the front wheel goes over an obstruction or into a depression, and as a rebound spring to prevent the frame being thrown upwardly after the frame has reached its normal position.

At any time that the rider desires to change the tension of spring 20 he removes nuts 1+1 and then the heads of bolt 12 from connection with the hinge and pitman rods. He unscrews the lock nut. He then rotates the bolt to increase or decrease the tension on spring 20 and then replaces the parts.

This improvement can readily be attached to any standard make of machine without altering the parts, and forms an improved front fork or steering member which is revolubly mounted in the front part of frame 19.

Having described our invention what we claim is 1. An improved front fork for a wheeled vehicle comprising a bifurcated member revolubly mounted in the head of the frame; rocking levers pivotally connected to the lower ends of the bifurcated member; pitman rods connected to the other ends of the rocking levers resilient means connected to the upper ends of said pitman rods and to the bifurcated front member; and means to connect and support the other end of the resilient means to the ends of the bifurcated member.

Patented Am. 20,1912.

2. An improved front fork for a Wheeled vehicle comprising a bifurcated front member revolubly mounted in the head of the frame; L-shaped brace bars rigidly secured to the bifurcated member at the top and" bottom thereof; rocking levers pivotally secured to the lower ends of the bifurcated member; a piston rod pivotally connected to the bifurcated member; a piston on said piston rod; a barrel surrounding said piston and a portion of said rod, one end of said barrel being internally threaded and the other end closed except at a central port through which projects the piston rod; a spring :011 the piston within the barrel; a threaded adjusting bolt in the other end of said barrel; a hinge connecting the threaded bolt with the brace bars; and pitman rods pivotally connected to the other ends of the rocking levers and to said adjusting bolt.

3. In a wheeled Vehicle, a steering member adapted to be revolubly mounted in the connected to the lower ends of the bifurcated member; and pitman rods connecting said rocking-levers with the resilient connection between the bifurcated member and the brace bars.

In Witness that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto subscribed our names this 10th dayof May, 1912.

CHARLES KITTLE. HUBEBT M. KITTLE.

WVitnesses:

G. E. IIARPI-IAM; FRANK WATERFIELD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five'cents each, by addressing the e0ommissioner o'f ZEatents,

Washington, D. C. 

